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Resumen: Introducción: En los mamíferos, el complejo pre-Bötzinger (preBötC) es una red neuronal bilateral y simétrica localizada en el tallo cerebral, la cual es indispensable para la generación y modulación del ritmo respiratorio. En humanos existen pocos estudios acerca del preBötC y su relación con enfermedades neurológicas no ha sido descrita. Sin embargo, la importancia del preBötC en el control neural del ritmo respiratorio y su posible participación en enfermedades neurológicas en humanos ha sido mostrada gracias a la manipulación farmacológica y de lesiones del preBötC realizadas en modelos animales in vivo e in vitro. Método: En esta revisión describimos los efectos de algunos fármacos sobre la actividad inspiratoria in vitro en el modelo de rebanada transversal del tallo cerebral que contiene el preBötC, y algunos experimentos in vivo. La farmacología fue clasificada de acuerdo con los principales sistemas de neurotransmisión y con la importancia de los fármacos como estimuladores o inhibidores de la actividad del preBötC y, por tanto, de la generación del ritmo respiratorio. Conclusiones: El neurólogo clínico encontrará esta información relevante para entender cómo el sistema nervioso central genera el ritmo respiratorio y, además, podrá relacionarla con las observaciones hechas durante su práctica. Abstract: Introduction: In mammals, the preBötzinger complex (preBötC) is a bilateral and symmetrical neural network located in the brainstem which is essential for the generation and modulation of respiratory rhythm. There are few human studies about the preBötC and, its relationship with neurological diseases has not been described. However, the importance of the preBötC in neural control of breathing and its potential participation in neurological diseases in humans, has been suggested based on pharmacological manipulation and lesion of the preBötC in animal models, both in vivo and in vitro. Method: In this review, we describe the effects of some drugs on the inspiratory activity in vitro in a transverse slice that contains the preBötC, as well as some in vivo experiments. Drugs were classified according to their effects on the main neurotransmitter systems and their importance as stimulators or inhibitors of preBötC activity and therefore for the generation of the respiratory rhythm. Conclusion: Clinical neurologists will find this information relevant to understanding how the central nervous system generates the respiratory rhythm and may also relate this information to the findings made in daily practice. Palabras clave: Generación del ritmo respiratorio, Respiración, Complejo pre-Bötzinger, Control neural de la respiración, NK1R, In vitro, Keywords: Respiratory rhythm generation, Breathing, preBötzinger complex, Neural control of breathing, NK1R, In vitro

Purpose: To present an atypical case of severe bilateral ocular toxoplasmosis with systemic involvement that initially mimicked an autoimmune etiology, posing challenges to its diagnosis and treatment., Case Report: A 39-year-old immunocompetent male was admitted to the hospital due to a presumed pulmonary thromboembolism concomitant with an abrupt onset of vision loss. Initial differential diagnoses included antiphospholipid syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus, prompting the administration of corticosteroid pulses and rituximab. Despite observing a partial systemic response, there was no improvement in visual acuity. Subsequent aqueous humor polymerase chain reaction confirmed Toxoplasma gondii infection, leading to the introduction of oral antibiotic therapy. The patient's condition showed a partially favorable response; however, the treatment could not reverse the permanent retinal damage., Conclusion and Importance: This case underscores the importance of ruling out an infectious etiology in all cases of uveitis. Additionally, it alerts clinicians to the possibility that elevated positive autoantibodies may result from a severe inflammatory reaction caused by pathogens rather than an autoimmune or autoinflammatory disease, particularly in instances of poor treatment response or atypical clinical presentation.

Background: The cause of ocular pain in the quiet eye is challenging to diagnose. It is a common complaint in the ophthalmology clinic and there are no actual guidelines on the exams that should be ordered initially. We decided to characterize patients with eye pain and normal ophthalmological examination who underwent ocular ultrasound, their findings, and systemic work-up., Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent ocular ultrasound due to ocular pain and no clinical findings on initial slit-lamp examination. We evaluated patient characteristics and analyzed systemic work-up results in contrast to ocular ultrasound findings., Results: Two hundred and three patients with normal slit-lamp examination and ocular pain were evaluated using ocular ultrasound at Clinica Barraquer. Most of the patients were women (88.7%), and 55% were older than 50 years. Nearly all of the patients had echographic findings, 87.7% of patients showed evidence of scleral scars, from which 66.5% had signs of activity, and 42.9% had thickened extraocular muscles. In general, most patients with ocular pain had normal results on systemic work-up, but the patients who did have positive results tended to have echographic findings., Conclusion: Posterior inflammation is present in most patients with ocular pain in a quiet eye, and echography is an optimal tool to identify this. There is a tendency towards abnormal autoimmune test results and echographic findings. This should be considered in the initial work-up of these patients, given the importance of early diagnosis and the threat of vision loss with severe inflammation.

Purpose: Report the case of a patient with a history of central retinal artery occlusion in her right eye and amaurosis fugax associated with acute ischemic changes in her left eye related to a prothrombin G20210A gene variant, in which OCT-A was used as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool., Case Presentation: 55-year-old woman with a history of central retinal artery occlusion in her right eye and prothrombin gene G20210A (F2) variant diagnosis. She presented to our consultation with amaurosis fugax in her left eye. As medical history, she had an episode of bilateral posterior scleritis diagnosed asynchronously with the current episode. Vascular, autoimmune, and metabolic prothrombotic diseases were ruled out. OCT-A showed areas suggesting acute ischemia consistent with macular retinopathy in her left eye. Anticoagulant therapy with Apixaban was initiated, considering the risk for her vision. Control OCT-A showed perfusion improvement in the previous site of the occlusive vascular event. We also considered the extent of the inflammatory response due to posterior scleritis as a differential diagnosis. Nevertheless, it is less likely, considering the temporality between scleritis and the retinal-vascular episodes., Conclusions: While the G20210A prothrombin gene (F2) variant is a rare cause of retinal artery occlusion, it is important to consider it a differential diagnosis. Good visual outcomes can be achieved with prompt initiation of antithrombotic treatment. In addition, OCT-A is useful for diagnosing ischemic retinal changes that cannot be observed with other diagnostic methods and monitoring them.

Purpose of Review: Review work to create and evaluate educational materials that could serve as a primary prevention strategy to help both providers and patients in Panama, Colombia, and the USA reduce disease burden of Toxoplasma infections., Recent Findings: Educational programs had not been evaluated for efficacy in Panama, USA, or Colombia., Summary: Educational programs for high school students, pregnant women, medical students and professionals, scientists, and lay personnel were created. In most settings, short-term effects were evaluated. In Panama, Colombia, and USA, all materials showed short-term utility in transmitting information to learners. These educational materials can serve as a component of larger public health programs to lower disease burden from congenital toxoplasmosis. Future priorities include conducting robust longitudinal studies of whether education correlates with reduced adverse disease outcomes, modifying educational materials as new information regarding region-specific risk factors is discovered, and ensuring materials are widely accessible., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest Denis Limone Pharm D,is Chairman , shareholder and CEO and Raphael Piarroux Pharm D, PhD, is RandD Director and employee at LDBio Diagnostics. A patent application was submitted in the United States for the development of the whole blood point of care test with the scientists at the University of Chicago to insure its continued high quality performance and reproducibility. The authors declare no other competing interests..

Purpose: Ocular involvement is frequent in autoimmune diseases and even can be the first manifestation. There are multiple descriptions in the literature around the world regarding this topic. However, we evidenced a lack of studies analyzing the relationship between the ocular manifestations and systemic biomarkers, especially in Latinamerica. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between the positivity of inflammatory biomarkers and the ocular manifestations in a Colombian cohort of rheumatological patients., Patients and Methods: We conducted an observational, descriptive, non-comparative cross-sectional study in a rheumatology center, in Bogotá, Colombia, from 2013 to 2019. We calculated a sample size of 797 patients to assess the prevalence of ocular manifestations and inflammatory biomarkers. We performed univariate analyses for categorical and continuous variables and bivariate analyses using the Chi-square and Fisher's exact test for categorical variables., Results: Women represented 84% of the population, and the mean age was 54.61± 15.64 years. Of 797 patients, 21.45% reported one or more ophthalmological diagnoses, being keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) the most common (15.93%), followed by uveitis, and cataract (1.38%, each one). Regarding ophthalmological symptoms, 35% presented at least one, being dry eye sensation (DE) the most common (30.86%), followed by ocular pain (2.76%), red eye, and decreased visual acuity (2.63%, each one). The antibodies or inflammatory biomarkers most frequently found were antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) (35.3%), C-reactive protein (28.7%), and rheumatoid factor (27.9%). We found statistical associations between consumption of complement 3, anti-CCP, anti-RO, and anti-LA antibodies with ocular manifestations such as photophobia, DE, conjunctivitis, KCS, uveitis, retinal vasculitis, and maculopathy., Conclusion: Ocular manifestations are frequently found in patients with positive antibodies and inflammatory biomarkers. Our results suggest antibodies and inflammatory molecules could be biomarkers for ocular manifestations in patients with rheumatological diseases. This study provides the basis for future longitudinal studies., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2022 Cifuentes-González et al.)

Background: Down syndrome (DS) is a chromosomal anomaly that is characterized by an extra chromosome 21. Ophthalmological manifestations have a high prevalence in patients with DS., Purpose: To review the scientific evidence and estimate the prevalence of ophthalmological manifestations in the pediatric population with DS., Data Sources: Electronic databases including MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, and LILACS., Study Eligibility Criteria: Published observational studies with available and original data were included. Articles were excluded if the study design was a review, letter to the editor, case report, case series, or systematic review and if the subjects had ophthalmological manifestations secondary to other conditions., Participants and Interventions: Pediatric and adolescent population with DS and with ophthalmological evaluation., Study Appraisal and Synthesis Methods: A data collection form was designed in Excel. Five reviewers extracted relevant details about the design and results of each study. The quality of the studies was assessed by applying the tools for systematic reviews of prevalence and incidence from the Joanna Briggs Institute. We calculated the weighted prevalence of ophthalmological manifestations, considering only the studies reporting the measurement of each manifestation., Results: Twenty-two articles (from 15 countries, published during 1994-2020) were included in the present systematic review. Ocular manifestations were observed in 85% of the studied pediatric and adolescent populations with DS. The most frequent ones were slanting fissures, oblique fissures, epicanthus, and epiblepharon., Conclusion: The ocular manifestations in the pediatric and adolescent populations with DS are varied, and some can irreversibly affect visual development. Screening of the pediatric population with DS should be conducted from the first months of age and continued annually., Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO CRD42019127717., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose of Review: Review international efforts to build a global public health initiative focused on toxoplasmosis with spillover benefits to save lives, sight, cognition and motor function benefiting maternal and child health., Recent Findings: Multiple countries' efforts to eliminate toxoplasmosis demonstrate progress and context for this review and new work., Summary: Problems with potential solutions proposed include accessibility of accurate, inexpensive diagnostic testing, pre-natal screening and facilitating tools, missed and delayed neonatal diagnosis, restricted access, high costs, delays in obtaining medicines emergently, delayed insurance pre-approvals and high medicare copays taking considerable physician time and effort, harmful shortcuts being taken in methods to prepare medicines in settings where access is restricted, reluctance to perform ventriculoperitoneal shunts promptly when needed without recognition of potential benefit, access to resources for care, especially for marginalized populations, and limited use of recent advances in management of neurologic and retinal disease which can lead to good outcomes., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40124-022-00268-x., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest/Competing Interests There are no other disclosures and no other competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2022.)

Purpose of Review: Review building of programs to eliminate Toxoplasma infections., Recent Findings: Morbidity and mortality from toxoplasmosis led to programs in USA, Panama, and Colombia to facilitate understanding, treatment, prevention, and regional resources, incorporating student work., Summary: Studies foundational for building recent, regional approaches/programs are reviewed. Introduction provides an overview/review of programs in Panamá, the United States, and other countries. High prevalence/risk of exposure led to laws mandating testing in gestation, reporting, and development of broad-based teaching materials about Toxoplasma. These were tested for efficacy as learning tools for high-school students, pregnant women, medical students, physicians, scientists, public health officials and general public. Digitized, free, smart phone application effectively taught pregnant women about toxoplasmosis prevention. Perinatal infection care programs, identifying true regional risk factors, and point-of-care gestational screening facilitate prevention and care. When implemented fully across all demographics, such programs present opportunities to save lives, sight, and cognition with considerable spillover benefits for individuals and societies., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40124-022-00269-w., Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestDenis Limonne Pharm D, PhD and Raphael Piarroux Pharm D, PhD, are the owner and Scientists at LDBio. A patent application was submitted in the United States for the development of the whole blood point of care test with the scientists at the University of Chicago to insure its continued high-quality performance and reproducibility of the results described herein. In the United States and Panama in the more recent studies the LDBio kit was provided for the studies without charge by D Limonne. The Roche kit was provided without charge in Panama. For the predicate test costs for the comparison test for 70 consecutive persons for the feasibility clinical trial the cost of performing the Biorad IgG and IgM tests was provided by Kiphard Foundation. Kamal El Bissati is heading the initiatives to prevent toxoplasmosis in Morocco. Patents have been obtained for the medicine, anti-sense, vaccine, biomarker development work to facilitate their development toward clinical use and sustain availability if/when they are used in clinical practice. RMcLeod was reimbursed for time in performing a literature review concerning Spiramycin by Sanofi Pasteur in accordance with Sunshine laws. RMcLeod (with her colleagues) shared first prize merit award in the Alzgerm initiative to identify the highest quality and rigorously developed and described work demonstrating that a pathogen can initiate, progress and contribute to neurodegenerative diseases, and that there can be effect of this chronic active infection on cognition, motor function and other disease processes. This monetary prize was used to further this ongoing work.Competing InterestsThere are no other disclosures and no competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2022.)

Purpose : To report a case of a drug-induced anterior uveitis secondary to the use ofintracameral moxifloxacin. Case report : A 64-year-old Colombian male patient presented with severe ocular pain and photophobia in his left eye 15 days after cataract surgery. In the ophthalmology and glaucoma specialist evaluation, pigment dispersion in the anterior chamber and camerular angle, severe anterior segment inflammation, and elevated intraocular pressure were observed. Poor response to treatment for a suspected viral origin and exclusion of other possible etiologies, led to the conclusion of intracameral moxifloxacin induced anterior uveitis. Conclusion and importance : We present the second published case worldwide about anterior uveitis secondary to intracameral moxifloxacin, which may rarely cause hypertensive uveitis that may be confused with viral uveitis. This provides evidence on the importance of postoperative follow-up by the surgeon for an early referral and treatment of these cases.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to review the scientific evidence and describe the ocular treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) related to pharmacological treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis., Methods: A systematic review of literature was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines in the MEDLINE, LILACS, EMBASE, and COCHRANE databases. Articles were filtered based on title and abstract considering the selection criteria and subsequently filtered by full-text reading. The resulting articles were evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute Quality Tools. Study characteristics and results were extracted and presented in structured tables to conduct a narrative synthesis., Results: A total of 2852 published articles were extracted using our strategy. After removing duplicates, 2841 articles were screened based on title and abstract, 102 articles were evaluated using quality tools, and 69 articles were filtered by full-text reading. Through this search strategy, 60 articles met all the inclusion criteria and seven articles, through a search update conducted in the same manner, were included. This resulted in 67 articles meeting the inclusion criteria, of which 11 were experimental and 56 were observational. The therapies related to ocular TEAEs were alemtuzumab, amantadine, fingolimod, steroids, CTLA-4 Ig, estriol, interferon β, natalizumab, hyperbaric oxygen, rituximab, siponimod, teriflunomide, and tovaxin. Fingolimod and siponimod were commonly associated with macular edema, interferon β was associated with retinopathy, alemtuzumab was associated with thyroid eye disease, amantadine was associated with corneal edema, and steroids were associated with acute retinal necrosis. Opportunistic infections were also found, and there was one life-threatening case., Conclusions: Our search revealed different methodological assessments of the topic. However, longitudinal studies regarding ocular TEAEs related to multiple sclerosis therapy are necessary to provide evidence-based recommendations, especially in understudied regions such as Latin America and Africa. Physicians should monitor ocular symptoms in patients being treated for multiple sclerosis and consider an interdisciplinary approach., Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO ID CRD42020106886., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) is the most common cause of posterior uveitis, which leads to visual impairment in a large proportion of patients. Antibiotics and corticosteroids lower the risk of permanent visual loss by controlling infection and inflammation. However, there remains disagreement regarding optimal antibiotic therapy for OT. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to determine the effects and safety of existing antibiotic treatment regimens for OT., Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, LILACS, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform portal, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Gray Literature in Europe ("OpenGrey") were searched for relevant studies; manual searches of reference lists were performed for studies identified by other methods. All published and unpublished randomized controlled trials that compared antibiotic schemes known to be effective in OT at any dosage, duration, and administration route were included. Studies comparing antibiotics with placebo were excluded. This review followed standard methodological procedures recommended by the Cochrane group., Results: Ten studies were included in the narrative summary, of which four were included for quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis). Interventions were organized into three groups: intravitreal clindamycin versus pyrimethamine + sulfadiazine, trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole versus other antibiotics, and other interventions. The first comparison favored intravitreal clindamycin (Mean difference (MD) = 0.10 logMAR; 95% confidence interval = 0.01 to 0.22). However, this finding lacks clinical relevance. Other outcomes showed no statistically significant differences between the treatment groups. In general, the risk of performance bias was high in evaluated studies, and the quality of the evidence found was low to very low., Conclusions: No antibiotic scheme was superior to others, and the selection of a treatment regimen depends on multiple factors; therefore, treatment should be chosen based on safety, sulfa allergies, and availability., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To establish the prevalence of ocular involvement in a Colombian population with rheumatologic diseases., Design: Observational cross-sectional study., Methods: We included a probabilistic sample size of 797 patients who attended a rheumatologic disease center in Bogotá, Colombia. Statistical analysis with descriptive measures and Chi-square independence test between rheumatologic diseases and ophthalmological symptoms and diseases was performed., Results: Eighty-four percent of the population were women, and the mean age was 54.61± 15.64 years. The most common condition was rheumatoid arthritis (33.37%), followed by fibromyalgia (22.71%), Sjögren Syndrome (19.72%), and systemic lupus erythematosus (9.91%). Almost 7% of the patients presented polyautoimmunity. Thirty-five percent of the patients reported one or more ophthalmological symptoms, being dry eye sensation the most common (30.86%), followed by ocular pain (2.76%), red-eye, and decreased visual acuity (both 2.63%). Similarly, 21.45% of the patients presented one or more ophthalmological diagnoses, being keratoconjunctivitis sicca the most common (15.93%), followed by cataract, uveitis (1.38% each), and scleritis (1.25%)., Conclusion: Almost a third of the patients reported any ocular involvement. It is crucial to be aware of the most common ophthalmic manifestations among the different rheumatologic diseases in our population, to offer early specialist referral and timely treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests in this work., (© 2021 Uribe-Reina et al.)

Purpose: The purpose of this work was to review the scientific evidence about dermatological and ophthalmological inflammatory, infectious, and tumoral tattoo-related reactions published in the literature., Methods: We conducted a literature search from January 1, 2000 to July 15, 2020 in MEDLINE, COCHRANE, EMBASE, and LILACS. Limits regarding the language and period of publication were used. A data collection form was designed in Excel. Four reviewers independently extracted relevant details about the design and the results of each study., Results: One hundred four studies were included, most of them were conducted in Europe and North America. The remaining studies were conducted in Asia, South America, Africa, and Oceania. We included 52 case reports, 21 cross-sectional studies, 20 case series, 10 case-control studies, and 1 cohort study. Eighty-six studies described skin tattoos, of which 7 were publications of eyebrow tattoos and 6 of eyelid tattoos, and 5 articles included cases of subconjunctival tissue tattoos (eyeball). Fifty-seven studies described local reactions related to tattoos and 47 studies reported systemic reactions or reactions in different locations from the tattoo site. The types of reactions described in the studies were: infections in 45 studies, inflammatory reactions in 53 studies, neoplasia in 4 studies, and hypertrichosis in 2 studies., Conclusion: This literature review evidenced a close relationship between the application of tattoos on dermatological and ophthalmological tissues, and the possible immunological complications, neoplasms, and infectious complications. Dermatologists and ophthalmologists should be aware of the consequences caused by even small amounts of ink applied on skin and eyes, generating the need for strict regulations for its use.

Objectives: To determine the frequency of retinochoroidal lesions by ocular toxoplasmosis and their relationships with risk factors, in residents of two districts with high exposure to Toxoplasma, in Armenia-Quindío, Colombia., Methods: Cross-sectional analyses of fundoscopy screening, serological tests, and questionnaires were performed to determine risk factors associated with ocular toxoplasmosis retinochoroidal lesions. Differences in proportions were analyzed using the chi-squared test., Results: Of 161 individuals examined, 17 (10.5%) exhibited retinochoroidal scars suggestive of old inactive Toxoplasma gondii infection. All 17 individuals were seropositive for T. gondii antibodies. Consumption of bottled water was protective against T. gondii infection among individuals in this study. There were no specific epidemiological risk factors associated with ocular toxoplasmosis retinochoroidal lesions., Conclusion: Ocular toxoplasmosis is an important cause of visual impairment in Armenia-Quindío, Colombia. The consumption of boiled or bottled water is a major preventive public health measure to reduce infection by T. gondii and the subsequent onset of OT., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Purpose: To describe the evaluation and referral process from a group of patients with uveitis presented at a specialized uveitis center in Bogotá, Colombia., Methods: An observational descriptive cross-sectional study was performed. After applying the selection criteria, 315 clinical records were recovered. Univariate and bivariate analyses were used, reporting proportions, means and standard deviations., Results: The mean age of the sample was 45.23 years old and 63.8% of them were females. Patients were mostly referred by retina specialists, general ophthalmologists, rheumatologists, and cornea specialists. Meantime between the first ocular symptom and uveitis specialist evaluation was 2.08 years. Patients had been previously evaluated by a mean of 1.9 ophthalmologists. In 79.9% of patients, inflammation was recognized by the remittent; however, only 4.7% of patients were correctly graded according to SUN classification. At first time consultation with the uvea specialist, 52.1% of the patients arrived with an adequate infectious panel, 58.1% with an adequate rheumatologic panel, 11.6% with aqueous humor PCR study, 65.1% with an initial etiological diagnosis, 34.9% with inadequate topical treatment, and 59.6% with inadequate systemic treatment. The mean time to reach a diagnosis by the uvea specialist was 5.27 weeks (0.10 years). A diagnostic coincidence was not reached in 58.7% of the cases., Conclusion: The referral process to uveitis specialists is complex but highly relevant for those who suffer from this pathology. Health professionals must be aware of the standardized classification of the disease, the appropriate treatment according to the classification, and early referral to the uveologist with adequate laboratory tests., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests in this work., (© 2021 Villalobos-Pérez et al.)

Background: We report a case of white circular spots of iridian atrophy, which we will call "polka dots" pattern, as a rare ophthalmological finding associated with uveitis secondary to varicella-zoster virus and Toxoplasma gondii coinfection in a male patient in Bogotá, Colombia., Case Presentation: We present de case of a 53-year-old Colombian male patient with a diagnosis of anterior uveitis in his left eye due to varicella-zoster virus and Toxoplasma gondii coinfection documented by polymerase chain reaction analysis. He presented with multiple areas of superficial white circular spots of iridian atrophy in 360º, some with deeper atrophy where the stroma fibers were visualized and only a small punctate defect of transillumination was evident. This rare pattern of iridian atrophy has not been previously described in cases of uveitis in the literature., Conclusions: This is the first case reporting the findings of superficial "polka dots" pattern iridian atrophy in 360° secondary to anterior uveitis due to the coinfection of a virus and a parasite. The identification of similar clinical cases may lead to early initiation of systemic treatment in these patients.

Purpose: To describe ocular surface characteristics and tests' results in a healthy pediatric population., Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study with 60 healthy children, obtaining consent, OSDI and screen use survey and conducting ocular surface tests. Statistical univariate analysis for categorical and quantitative variables was made. To describe the correlation of the results in both eyes, we used a model of random effects. To characterize the possible profiles of device use, we applied the mixed-cluster methodology., Results: Sixty healthy children between 7 and 17 years old were evaluated. Girl's proportion was 41.6%. Mean Ocular Surface Disease Index Score was 9.98±8.49 points. Daily screen time was 5.59±2.77 hours and the most popular screen was the smartphone. Mean results (with standard deviations or confidence intervals) of ocular surface tests were blink frequency while reading on paper, 6.8±5.68 times per minute; blink frequency while reading on screen, 8.7±7.14 times per minute; tear meniscus height, 0.19[0.18-0.2] mm; non-invasive tear break-up time, 12.44[10.99-13.9] seconds; nasal conjunctival redness, 0.86[0.77-0.94]; temporal conjunctival redness, 0.96[0.87-1.04]; tear osmolarity, 299.3[295.14-303.45] mmol; and Schirmer test, 23.73[21.28-26.18] mm. Lid margin was irregular in three eyes; 44.7% had thin lipid layer; lissamine green staining was positive in 70.8%; fluorescein staining was positive in 47.4%; 36.64% exhibited partial meibomian gland loss., Conclusion: Considering the scarcity of specific pediatric values of ocular surface tests, we performed a clinical investigation involving the complete pool of ocular surface tests in children. Although healthy children were included in this study, we found that all the participants had at least one abnormal result and 33.33% had dry eye disease diagnosis, according to the TFOS DEWS II. It would be relevant to carry out further multicentric studies to compare our ocular surface tests' results with other groups of children., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2020 Rojas-Carabali et al.)

Background: Thyroid eye disease is an autoimmune disorder of the orbital retrobulbar tissue commonly associated with dysthyroid status. The most frequent condition is hyperthyroidism, although it is also present in hypothyroid and euthyroid patients. The prevalence of thyroid conditions in patients with thyroid eye disease had been previously evaluated; however, there is no consensus on a global prevalence. The study aims to estimate the prevalence of hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and euthyroidism in patients with TED, through a systematic review of literature., Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the literature following the PRISMA guidelines, in MEDLINE, COCHRANE, EMBASE, Science Direct, and LILACS databases. Inclusion criteria were primary studies of patients with a diagnosis of thyroid eye disease made by an ophthalmologist or with diagnosis criteria, with measurement of thyroid function (TSH, T3, and free T4), and diagnosis of the primary thyroid condition. A quality assessment was made through the Joanna Briggs Institute Quality tools. Finally, we extracted relevant details about the design, the results, and the prevalence of thyroid disorders in thyroid eye disease., Results: The initial search revealed 916 studies, of which finally thirteen met inclusion criteria. Six studies were performed in Europe (Germany, Wales, and Spain), five in Asia (Iran, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore), one in North America (USA), and one in Africa (Ghana). The global prevalence, in patients of thyroid eye disease, was 10.36% for hypothyroidism, 7.9% for euthyroidism, and 86.2% for hyperthyroidism., Conclusions: Professionals should be aware that thyroid eye disease can be present in patients with a normal thyroid function. The assessment for these patients is based on orbital images; serum TSH, T3, and free T4; antibody levels as thyrotropin receptor antibodies; and thyroperoxidase levels. Additionally, we want to encourage research in this field in other regions of the world such as Latin America., Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO ID CRD42020107167.

Uveitis, defined as inflammation of the uveal tract of the eye, is a leading cause of blindness and visual impairment throughout the world. The etiology of uveitis is complex, and autoimmunity plays a major role in its pathogenesis. Intermediate uveitis (IU), a subtype of ocular inflammation, has been associated with systemic autoimmune disorders, specifically with multiple sclerosis (MS). This article reports a rare three-generation family with several members affected by IU (four siblings) and comorbid MS (two siblings fulfilling MS diagnostic criteria and a third sibling presenting some neurological symptoms). Based on the clinical findings, we captured and sequenced whole exomes of seven pedigree members (affected and unaffected). Using a recessive model of transmission with full penetrance, we applied genetic linkage analysis to define minimal critical regions (MCRs) in suggestive or nominal regions of linkage. In these MCRs, we defined functional (some pathogenic), novel, and rare mutations that segregated as homozygous in affected and heterozygous in unaffected family members. The genes harboring these mutations, including DGKI, TNFRSF10A, GNGT1, CPAMD8, and BAFF, which are expressed in both eye and brain tissues and/or are related to autoimmune diseases, provide new avenues to evaluate the inherited causes of these devastating autoimmune conditions.

Introduction: In mammals, the preBötzinger complex (preBötC) is a bilateral and symmetrical neural network located in the brainstem which is essential for the generation and modulation of respiratory rhythm. There are few human studies about the preBötC and, its relationship with neurological diseases has not been described. However, the importance of the preBötC in neural control of breathing and its potential participation in neurological diseases in humans, has been suggested based on pharmacological manipulation and lesion of the preBötC in animal models, both in vivo and in vitro., Method: In this review, we describe the effects of some drugs on the inspiratory activity in vitro in a transverse slice that contains the preBötC, as well as some in vivo experiments. Drugs were classified according to their effects on the main neurotransmitter systems and their importance as stimulators or inhibitors of preBötC activity and therefore for the generation of the respiratory rhythm., Conclusion: Clinical neurologists will find this information relevant to understanding how the central nervous system generates the respiratory rhythm and may also relate this information to the findings made in daily practice., (Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) is the most common cause of posterior uveitis, leading to visual impairment in a high proportion of patients. Antibiotics and corticosteroids lower the risk of permanent visual impairment by reducing the size of the retinochoroidal scar, the risk of recurrence, and the severity and duration of acute symptoms. Although OT is a very common cause of infectious posterior uveitis, its treatment remains controversial. Through our systematic review and meta-analysis, we aim to provide the best possible evidence-based information on the safety and effectiveness of the different antibiotic regimes for OT., Methods: This systematic review protocol has been developed based on PRISMA-P guidelines for reporting systematic reviews evaluating health care interventions. We will include all published and unpublished randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing different antibiotics used for the treatment of OT. We will consider changes in visual acuity, number of recurrences, improvement or worsening of ocular inflammation, size of lesion, and adverse effects as our outcomes. Screening, data extraction, and quality assessment will be undertaken by two reviewers with disagreements resolved through discussion. Studies that compared antibiotics with placebo will be excluded. The reviews will be assessed for quality and relevance. We will assess the risk of bias in five domains according to Cochrane group's tool. The type of data will dictate measures of treatment effect. We will use a random-effects model to calculate our meta-analysis, as eligible studies represent clinically varied populations of participants., Discussion: The strength of our study will lie in the exhaustive and systematic nature of the literature search, as well as in its methods for assessing quality and analyzing RCT data. Considering the controversial efficacy of the treatment for OT, our study will contribute to improving the existing evidence on the effectiveness of different antibiotics. Future studies may be conducted to increase physicians' awareness of antibiotic therapies, improving the health of patients with OT., Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO CRD42018085468.

Ophthalmology is a high-cost specialty in terms of medical, surgical and technological innovation and treatment. It is worrisome that in some countries patients are affected in their visual health, and therefore in their quality of life because they do not have the necessary resources for timely access to medications, medical appointments or surgical procedures. We searched in four electronic databases (ScienceDirect, MEDLINE/PubMed, ClinicalKey and SciELO), as well as in books on bioethics and Colombian laws, for articles related to bioethical issues and access to medicines in the exercise of ophthalmology. We reflect on the problem of access to ophthalmological drugs, with particular interest on how to apply the principles of bioethics on the clinical practice of patients with ophthalmological conditions. Ethical considerations are approached from the principles of Beauchamp and Childress, especially regarding the principle of justice, in order to provide health professionals in this field with arguments for medical and ethical decisions that benefit the healthcare and access to medicines for patients with ophthalmological conditions.